Watching
by Simplicity Is Bliss
Summary: Lily and James watch the lives of those they love, sometimes until the very end. Canon pairings. Dialog only. Oneshot.


* * *

A/N: This is dialog only. Hope I didn't drag it out too much.

* * *

**November, 1981**

"...Lily, why isn't he giving Harry to Sirius? We specified that was what we wanted to happen—"

"—If this happened, I know, James. I don't have an answer."

"—He-he can't think...?"

"That Sirius did this? I...I don't know. He shouldn't. We told him that we were changing to Peter. Remember how insistent he was? How much Dumbledore tried to get us not to use Peter?"

"Did he know? Was he using Peter for misinformation, maybe?"

"...I hope so."

---

"Lily! Lily! Dumbledore is dropping him off on your sister's doorstep!"

"What?!"

"Dumbledore is dropping Harry off on Petunia's front stoop!"

"I heard! I just can't believe he's violating our will like this! And leaving him on the porch? _In November?!_"

---

"...James, get over here."

"Hm?"

"They...just arrested Sirius..."

"Oh, oh no...they can't _do_ that! They can't just _snap_ his wand like that! He hasn't even had a _trial_ yet!"

"I know, James! I'm sitting right here!"

"You wouldn't be if you had just run!"

"How _dare_ you! How _dare_ you insinuate such a thing!"

"If you had, at least you'd be alive!"

"Fuck you, James Potter! You don't think I would have run if I'd had the chance? I'd much rather be down there with Harry than stuck up here with _you!"

* * *

_**June 1984**

"Oh my god."

"I _knew _I hated Vernon for a reason."

"Did he just...? That's not something Harry can help. You can't smack magic out of a child!"

"_We _know that, James. He won't accept it."

"I still don't know why he hates wizards like that."

"He gets it from Petunia. She's...worse than I thought she was, in the end."

* * *

**December 1984**

"Oh, poor Sirius."

"Christmas in Azkaban with his cousins for company. Again."

"Shut up, James. Have we looked in on Remus recently?"

"I don't think so."

"I wish I could be there for them, Lily."

"I know. It...hurts, watching all of them. None of us should be up here so soon."

"I second that! You lot were supposed to live long and prosper!"

"Uncle Matthew, stop waving that walker around! You'll hit someone!"

"I knew you shouldn't have let him watch that American muggle telly-what'sit."

"_Star Trek_, James, it's called _Star Trek_ for the eighth time."

"Whatever. It's got elves and pod people. That's all I need to know."

"...What?"

"Never mind that, now! Remus is doing worse than we thought he would."

"Oh no...I hope it gets better for him. I want there to be at least one of the old crew left, since Frank and Alice are..."

"...Out of commission."

"Yes."

* * *

**September 1, 1991**

"Harry's pissed off Malfoy already."

"Good. Wouldn't be a Potter if he hadn't."

"Might have to take a leaf out of Sirius' mother's book and scorch him off the family tree if he hadn't managed that within five minutes of meeting Malfoy."

"Mmm, too true, Lily, too true."

---

"He's a Griffindor! You hear that, Algernon? You owe me ten sickles!"

"Because yes, James, I can pay you with my spirit money. Here, maybe you can buy yourself something nice."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you, Algie."

"Mmm, thank you. Though I seriously doubt your taste in men."

"Can't win 'em all."

"Lily!"

* * *

**June 1992**

"You can't be serious. That defense professor was...?"

"He was...looks like you left Harry a useful parting present, though."

"I'd rather he not need it at all."

"I know, Lily. I know."

* * *

**July 1992**

"_Bars?! On my son's window!?_ I'm going to strangle that brute the first chance I have..."

"Whoa there, Lily. Think you may have to queue up. Harry gets first dibs."

"That'll be my first chance, then, won't it?"

---

"Knew I liked the Weasleys."

"Good folk."

* * *

**September 1992**

"That poor willow tree..."

"Lily, you and you _alone_ are the only person I know to have ever had had sympathy for the _whomping willow_ of all things. I don't even think _Sprout_ likes it all that much."

"Hardly deserved to a _car _driven into it!"

"That tree nearly killed Harry and Ron!...Lily! Don't g—! Oh for crying out loud...just _itching_ for a fight, weren't you? Dammit."

---

"Did Dumbledore really hire that man?"

"Lockhart? Apparently so."

"What on earth was he thinking!"

"Thought we agreed not to try to divine the will of the Almighty Albus Dumbledore when he dropped our baby on your sister's door step in the middle of winter."

"Oh right. Keep forgetting."

* * *

**November 1992**

"_A parslemouth?_ How did that _happen_?"

"I—I don't honestly know. Algie? Hey Algie! Parslemouth doesn't run in the family, does it?"

"No. Why?"

"It appears that Harry has acquired that skill from somewhere."

"Mmm, maybe it has something to do with Voldemort?"

"Don't say that name!"

"Oh hush, James. Still, that makes the most sense to me."

"Watch what Dumbledore says, James. Might be a good clue."

"Right ho, then."

* * *

**May 1993**

"I'm going to _kill_ that man when he gets up here...!"

"James! That won't do you any good. Just get planning—you've got a vindictive streak and we've got eternity. _He's_ got eternity."

* * *

**August 1993**

"He got out! He got out! Damn, I picked a smart godfather for my child."

"And one who's now on the run and therefore almost useless to Harry."

"Shut up."

"At least Remus will be teaching this year."

"Mmm, indeed. Good for him and good for Harry."

* * *

**September 1, 1993**

"_Dementors_? Are yo—are you _kidding me?_ He has to be."

"This just keeps getting worse and worse."

"The _only_ bright spot I can see on the horizon is Remus. That's is. I predict this is going to be just as bad as last year."

"At least he'll have Remus and Minerva looking out for him."

"An upside, certainly."

---

"I miss them."

* * *

**June 1994**

"_Snivelus_."

"James! At least call him 'Professor Snivelus' when speaking of him!"

"...Lily?"

"Yes dear?"

"I love it when you snarl like that and it's not directed at me."

"A rare sight indeed."

"...Oh! Look! Padfoot and Moony got Peter!"

"Maybe this will work out, then?"

"We can hope, right?"

"Right."

---

"That _bastard!_ Outing Remus like that!"

"I can't wait until he gets up here. Can't _wait."

* * *

_**October 1994**

"Harry got selected for the Tournament."

"How?"

"I don't know. But this isn't good, Lily. This isn't good."

* * *

**November 1994**

"_Dragons?_ I swear, James, that man gets more insane and reckless as time goes on! Even if Harry wasn't participating—"

"I know! I don't understand how he can be so repeatedly stupid!"

* * *

**June 1995**

"_Oh my god!"_

"He's...Voldemort is back..."

"I knew Lucius was part of his circle!"

"James, we _all_ knew that."

"Damn, he's a fighter, too!"

"Thank god."

"Lily, look at him go!"

"..J—James? Where did...?"

"I hope Harry can hold out all right."

* * *

**July 1995**

"Are they seriously going try him for self-defense?"

"Looks like it. Makes a twisted kind of sense, though. He's a threat to the Ministry because he's telling the truth."

"Punished for telling the truth."

* * *

**September 1995**

"That woman looks like a toad, doesn't she Lily?"

"Thought we'd already agreed she's a toad...I don't like what she's saying, James. It doesn't bode well."

"What...the..hell? How are they supposed to learn anything if they can't practice?"

"There's nothing _to_ practice, James. Did you get a look at those books? They're all theory."

* * *

**October 1995**

"_A blood quill?!_ I'm going to _kill_ her. That's all there is to it!"

"I want to help!"

"He's useless, Lily. Why is Dumbledore having Snivelus teach Harry oclumency?"

"I don't know. If there's anyone to teach him it, it's either Remus or Dumbledore himself."

* * *

**December 1995**

"'Wet?' He's definitely your son, James."

"He, not my fault our first kiss was in the rain! At least you weren't crying."

* * *

**June 1996**

"Check on Sirius, Lily, please?"

"Why?"

"Harry thinks there's something amiss."

"All right...He's fine, James. What does Harry think happened?"

"That Voldemort has him."

"Oh no."

---

"Paddy, old boy. Wasn't expecting to see you anytime soon."

"...James? Lily?"

"That would be us, dear."

"Crap."

"Indeed."

"Your brother is around here somewhere. May want to have a chat with him."

"Why on earth would I want to do that?"

"There's more to things than you know, Padfoot."

"If you say so...Reggie?"

"Here, Sirius."

"So what's this James wants you to tell me...?"

* * *

**September 1996**

"Why on _earth_ is Snivelus teaching Defense?!"

* * *

**June 1997**

"He just _murdered_ Dumbledore!"

"I never could understand why Dumbledore trusted him."

"I have a reason for everything I do, Sirius. Even when I make mistakes."

"So you admit trusting Snape was a mistake?"

"No. I had a reason. I knew what was going on and I asked Severus to do what he did, if it came down to it."

"What reason would _that_ be, Dumbledore?"

"He loved you, Lily. Still does, in fact. That was why he changed sides."

"Oh..."

* * *

**July 1997**

"Oh no..."

"At least Harry and his friends were warned, Lily. That would have been an absolute massacre if there hadn't been a warning."

* * *

**Summer, Fall, and Winter of 1997 and Spring of 1998**

"Certainly a party up here now, isn't it?"

"Shut up, Potter."

"Sorry, Mad-Eye."

"At least Remus has someone now."

"Yeah. Hadn't expected them to get together."

"That, my dear Mr. Padfoot, is because you are blind."

"Like you're any better, James!"

"Spend sixteen years watching people, Sirius, and that changes."

---

"I don't like what's happened to the school."

"_Death Eaters_ are running it, Dumbledore. I'd be very worried if you weren't upset. They're bloody torturing the students!"

"Language, Lily!"

"Shut _up_, James!"

* * *

**May 2nd, 1998**

"Remus!"

"Oh dear."

"Is that all you can say after seventeen years?"

"Shut up, James. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but my wife and child are still down there!"

"Well, Teddy is."

"Oh no."

"Well hello, _Mrs._ Lupin!"

"Shut up, Sirius."

"Is that any way to greet family?"

"...You must be James Potter."

"That I am!"

"I'm so glad Harry inherited someone else's sense of humor."

"That would be mine, I think."

"Lily Potter?"

"That's me!"

---

"Oh Voldie! May we have a word?"

"You may not!"

"Don't have much choice, Tommy me lad."


End file.
